


Sunstruck

by CourierNinetyTwo



Category: Mass Effect
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-09
Updated: 2014-04-09
Packaged: 2018-01-18 17:37:48
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,569
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1436956
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CourierNinetyTwo/pseuds/CourierNinetyTwo
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Benezia and Aethyta go on a vacation together. One of them has a few surprises in store.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Sunstruck

**Author's Note:**

> Written for dr-jekyl, who is my most awesome beta.

There were plenty of legends about the Isle of Khrysos. First, that it was where Kurinth taught the asari to fish, turning the water clear so the bounty of the ocean could be seen from the shore. Another said a massive beast lurked in the maze of tunnels and caves woven through the base of the island, with biotics powerful enough to provoke earthquakes and tsunamis during fits of rage. Whatever the truth - although she liked the rumor about naked sirens seducing the local pearl divers - Khrysos in the modern age was essentially a tourist trap.

While the seaside industries still existed, it had only taken Aethyta walking a few blocks onto the island to tell that most of them were for the sake of novelty. The jagged black cliffs portrayed in myth were a lot less intimidating with a sprawling hotel, practically a town of its own, built on top of them. A low wall cut the buildings off from the bustling docks and private houses, all interconnected by narrow pearlescent streets. The cobble was made by a kind of stone that glittered under the sun, nicknamed _ladon_ scales. At least, that was what the digital brochure said in the taxi from the mainland.

"Salt of the earth, huh?" Aethyta gestured to a pair of sailors balancing a large barrel of fish between them, most of which were still alive and flopping.

Her bondmate’s arm tightened around her waist. “Salt of the sea seems more appropriate.”

Benezia’s smile was radiant. Aethyta took the chance to lean over for a kiss, which was accepted with a soft sound of pleasure. In the years since they had bonded, since a spectacular honeymoon, the younger matriarch had been working almost non-stop. The breaks tended to be a day or two at most, and while she took advantage of every opportunity for leisure that could be spared, actually relaxing was rarely part of the equation. When Benezia had suddenly suggested a vacation over dinner last week, Aethyta had immediately jumped at the chance. A mix of rescheduling and cancellations left six days entirely free, which her bondmate called a very happy coincidence.

Whether it was chance or Athame telling Benezia to take a twice-damned break, it didn’t really matter. Aethyta had let her bondmate make the arrangements without much in the way of input; they could have stayed at a dockside motel with paint peeling off the walls and she would have been happy. The privacy was what mattered, worth its weight in eezo when Benezia’s acolytes flitted in and out of every room in the house. There certainly wasn’t anything wrong with a place that overlooked a beach and provided room service, though.

“You’re not tired from the flight here, are you?” Benezia asked, jostling her out of that train of thought.

Aethyta shook her head. “Not at all. You want to go out on the town tonight?”

“I was thinking some wine and a long walk on the beach.” The younger matriarch’s fingers tugged lightly at the edge of her shirt. “Or perhaps a bit of time in the water.”

“We could do all of the above.” Aethyta smiled. “The sun’s not supposed to drop here until late evening. Something about poles or being close to the equator. And one of the beaches is clothing-optional.”

Benezia barely concealed a laugh. “Here I was wondering why you were so engrossed in the brochure.”

A narrow, winding path of stairs led them up to the front of the hotel, framed by a huge arch. Cool air spilled outward as the doors slid open to the lobby, which seemed to be almost entirely made of glass. Floor-to-ceiling windows gave an endless view out to the ocean, and the ceiling itself was seethrough, filled with quick silver-scaled fish and coral in every imaginable color. Aethyta quietly boggled at how much the setup could have cost, much less the upkeep in having a damn aquarium holding up a dozen floors.

Benezia’s subtle tug on her waist drew her to the front desk. Like everything else, it was nothing short of opulent, carved with a scene from an ancient shore, with barely-dressed asari mending nets, bartering over shells, and diving fearlessly from the cliffs engraved above. The matron behind the counter welcomed them with a broad, practiced smile, the wave of one hand making a terminal screen flicker to life.

“What can I do for you this afternoon?”

“I reserved a room for the week.” Benezia’s arm slipped away from her side to bring up the confirmation number on an omnitool app. “I’d like to make sure everything’s still in order.”

“Of course.” A few keys were tapped after the omnitool was scanned. Aethyta noted the diamond bracelet hanging heavily around the matron’s wrist; at least it was good to know the staff weren’t being stiffed in a place this over the top. “Lady Benezia, yes. Everything is as you’ve asked for, including the special request.”

“Special request?” Aethyta asked, brow raised.

“When was the last time we took a vacation? I may have splurged a bit.” Benezia’s mouth quirked in a smile. “Would you get us some wine from the bar, love? I’d like to change as soon as we’re upstairs.”

She knew she was missing something, but a glance behind the front desk didn’t reveal anything in the matron’s face, and Benezia’s expression was unreadable. “Yeah, sure. Any kind of you want in particular?”

“I trust your judgment.”

After their fingers brushed together, Aethyta turned to cross the length of the lobby. Whatever the surprise was, she was sure she’d find out soon enough. As it was, approaching the bar gave her enough to consider. Hundreds of bottles were arranged across the back wall, arranged first by the type of alcohol and then by brand and year. Hanar wines glowed a shelf above heavy batarian whiskies, only to be outnumbered ten times over by asari vintages of every sort. She barely knew where to start.

Wine. Benezia had wanted it in particular, which cut down the selection by about half. As she was leaning forward to read one dark label - a 1360 had a much different taste than a 1560 - a red-marked bartender came from around the corner, a tray full of empty glasses weighing down both arms. After setting it down, Aethyta had a datapad offered her way, the screen topped with the hotel’s emblem.

“It’s easier to read on here.” The bartender started to stack glasses into the automatic washer. “I’ve got the list memorized too, but that’s just to impress the customers.”

Aethyta chuckled, using her thumb to scroll down the list. “I’m sure you’ve got the prices memorized too.”

There was no hiding the glint in the younger asari’s eyes. “When patrons ask for the best, I have to oblige.”

“I bet.” Aethyta set the datapad down on the bar. “Give me two bottles of the spiced Armali red, the oldest you have.”

The bartender’s lips pursed. “I was expecting a salarian gin, maybe a good batarian rum. Not wine.”

“Ever been bonded?” Aethyta flashed the bracelet on her wrist with a smile. “I’d find it funny for her to get wasted on the beach and describe at length how pretty the sunset is, but she wouldn’t.”

The smile was returned before the younger asari turned around, scanning the shelves. “I can have these sent up to your room if you like.”

“I can carry them. Otherwise that would mean splitting your tip with a bellhop’s.”

The bottles were set side by side on the counter with barely a sound. Made of a black glass with the year embossed into both sides, the unusually curved shape probably accounted for half the cost, going by the glassblower’s skill.

“We couldn’t have that.” The bartender tilted her head. “I’ve got mouths to feed. Three, maybe four.”

“Right.” Aethyta pulled a pair of chits out of her pocket and set them on the counter. “Bottom one’s for you. Don’t spend it all at the pleasure house.”

While Benezia looked mildly surprised that she came back with two bottles, there wasn’t any protest. The younger matriarch traded her one of them for a key once they were in the elevator, examining the wine with a curious eye. When the doors popped open at the top floor, Benezia led her down an expansive hallway to the suite at the end; Aethyta didn’t want to ask how much reserving the penthouse cost here. It wasn’t that it had a chance of straining her bondmate’s accounts, only that the kind of numbers that got thrown around were nothing short of surreal.

Carved double doors slid open soundlessly after Benezia swiped the key, revealing a fully-furnished living room. Their bags were waiting near the back of a plush couch, although her bondmate’s luggage outnumbered hers three to one. The way Benezia packed, the younger matriarch would be prepared for decades in the off-chance of a fashion apocalypse. Aethyta had just brought the basics; toiletries, a swimsuit, enough clothes for seven days and a couple of nice jewelry pieces if Benezia wanted to go out to dinner. Her favorite shotgun had a habit of getting flagged at customs, so she’d downsized to a Punisher, which sat comfortably under her jacket. The submachine gun packed a hell of a punch for its size, and she’d tossed some backup warp rounds at the bottom of one of her bags in case of emergency.

“This place looks amazing.” Aethyta said, pocketing her key and setting the wine on the counter of the minibar. ‘Mini’ seemed like a misnomer with how much of the living room it took up, but it was smaller than the one downstairs, at least. “Sure you don’t want to break the bed in first?”

Benezia chastised her with a light tap on one shoulder. “Once we do that, I have a feeling I won’t be seeing the outside of this room for a while. I’d like to see some of the scenery, at least.”

“Whatever you say, Nezzy.” She tilted her head down to claim a kiss, her fingers carefully cupping Benezia’s jaw. “Although you have a habit of changing your mind.”

“Only because some rogue sees fit to slide a hand up my skirt.” The younger matriarch murmured against her lips, pressing one hand against her abdomen. “Change into your swimsuit. There’s supposed to be a cooler in here somewhere so we can carry the wine.”

“That part of your special request?” Aethyta asked.

“Maybe.” Benezia put a light, teasing lilt into the word. “You’ll see soon enough, love.”

Her attempt to coax Benezia into the bedroom was waylaid by her bondmate promptly taking one of the bags into the nearest bathroom, presumably to choose from a selection of suits. Aethyta cursed softly under her breath before kneeling down to find her own, ruffling through the heavy duffle bag before her fingers caught on the distinctive fabric. It wasn’t anything special, a red one-piece tight enough to keep everything in its proper place, but she wasn’t planning on keeping it on very long anyway.

After changing, she started the search for the cooler. The Punisher had been stashed in the drawer of the bedside table, as she had a feeling Benezia would object to her keeping it concealed with the wine. It was just a backup for her biotics anyway, but the weight of a weapon had always been comforting. The gentle waft from the air conditioning made Aethyta shiver as she checked under tables and in cabinets, finally spying the cooler on the outside balcony, positioned near the hot tub that was big enough for six. Salt was heavy in the air as she took a deep breath, enjoying the insistent warmth of the sun for a moment before ducking back into the suite.

Along with the wine, she set a pair of glasses and a cold pack in the bottom of the cooler. Benezia’s bag had the sunscreen and towels, but after a moment’s thought, Aethyta took some sealed water bottles out of the fridge and tucked them inside. Walking, and plenty of other activities, could provoke a thirst wine wouldn’t be any help with. Just as she was about to close the lid, Benezia emerged from the bathroom, the sight enough to still her hands after a sudden jolt of lust.

She vaguely recalled her bondmate mentioning the purchase of a new suit for the trip, but whatever she had been expecting, it hadn’t been this. Golden yellow fabric cupped Benezia’s straining breasts, strings barely thicker than an old-fashioned bootlace holding the top together with a simple knot at the younger matriarch’s nape. A single tug could strip it away. A long moment passed before Aethyta could urge her eyes downward to Benezia’s bared abdomen and the lower half of the suit, which clung to the rounded fullness of both hips and the sublime curve of her bondmate’s ass.

“Mm.” She’d intended a compliment, something witty, but the sound had stopped short in her throat.

“I take it that’s approval.” Benezia’s eyes were bright with amusement. Aethyta watched as her bondmate folded the towels and stacked them in the cooler with the sunscreen, but words still weren’t coming easily. “This isn’t the surprise either, although it was well worth the look on your face.”

She finally managed to clear her throat, extending out her hand to take the handle of the cooler. “I’ll carry that.”

“You’re always so helpful.” Benezia fussed with a small device in one hand, something Aethyta recognized as a collapsible visor. “Especially when you want me to walk in front of you.”

“I’ve carried your bag for decades,” Aethyta groused, “whether or not you were wearing two scraps of fabric and calling it a swimsuit.”

“I could always change into something less enticing. I’d hate for you to miss how beautiful the sunset is later.”

“Uh-uh. You’ve made your bed, now lead the way.” Aethyta gestured with the cooler to the door.

“If you insist.” Benezia’s sigh was less long-suffering and more of a calculated tease. She hadn’t missed the slow rise of her bondmate’s chest, making the fabric work that much harder to contain those glorious tits.

Ten more seconds and Aethyta probably would have given up on the beach, but Benezia knew when her patience was at its end, and promptly turned to head out through the door. Only by constantly squeezing the handle of the cooler did she keep herself from trying something while they went down the elevator, although preventing her eyes from wandering freely was a lost cause. Her bondmate was failing at holding back a smug smile, but she wasn’t going to argue. Benezia had plenty to be smug about, when it came right down to it.

“There’s actually three beaches you can reach from the hotel,” Benezia said as they exited the elevator, “I thought we’d go to the farthest one. There’s a nice mix of shade and sun and the sand is black instead of white. It’s supposed to an interesting sight.”

“Khrysos has a volcano?” Aethyta raised a brow. “Lava’s what turns that stuff black.”

Benezia nodded. “Yes, although it’s underwater and dormant. The pictures on the extranet were beautiful.”

“As long as it stays dormant, I’m fine with that.”

Past the back doors of the hotel, she and Benezia followed the small signs down another winding path, the layout determined to preserve as much of the natural cliff face as possible. The sun was comfortably warm, with a light breeze keeping the heat from settling too deep in their skin. The junctures leading to the other beaches were crowded with other tourists, mostly sprawled out on the sand or playing sports. Aethyta watched as a maiden slammed a ball, charged with biotic force, over a digital net and sent three others scrambling to catch it. She missed when that sort of play came easily to her; in the centuries that passed, she’d retained her combat training but not the same amount of athleticism.

When they reached the last path, a privacy strip barred the way, the hard light spelling out _Do Not Enter_ between a pair of projectors in opposite rocks. Aethyta’s brow knit in disappointment - she’d been curious after Benezia’s description - but her bondmate acted as if it wasn’t even there, stepping through the holographic display. Surprisingly, it didn’t turn red or sound an audible alarm, and after a moment’s pause, she followed suit.

It was bizarre, seeing the sand cast in pitch black. The water was the same as they’d seen on the flight in, gorgeous and clear, but the waves idly collapsed against the dark shore like it was any other beach. Compared to the other two, it was certainly smaller, but a quick glance around revealed it was entirely deserted. That wasn’t really a surprise, considering the sign intended to keep everyone out. Benezia was undeterred, coming to a halt just shy of the tide and looking out at the far stretch of the ocean.

“I’m pretty sure you’ve noticed, but no one else is here.” Aethyta said.

“Mm. That’s because I rented the beach for the day.”

She blinked, unsure if she’d heard right the first time. “You what?”

Benezia turned to look her directly in the eye. “I rented the beach. I wanted our vacation to be private, not shared with a thousand other people kicking up sand everywhere.”

Her bondmate’s serious stare faded, replaced by an almost embarrassed amusement.

Aethyta couldn’t help but bolster that faint smile with one of her own. “Goddess. Do I want to ask how much that cost?”

“No.” Benezia punctuated the answer with a lingering kiss. “It’s of no consequence, to have such time with you.”

Aethyta didn’t let her bondmate get very far when they parted, her free arm encircling a bare waist. “Does that mean this beach is clothing-optional too?”

“As a matter of fact, it does.” Benezia purred. “Why don’t you set out the towels and open the wine?”

“That I can do.”

Keeping her eyes from wandering was a monumental task as she straightened out the towels, settling the cooler in between them. The cork in the wine popped up after a brief biotic spark, and the foot of each glass was nestled in the sand to keep them upright. By the time Aethyta was finished arranging everything, Benezia was casting a shadow over her and she risked glancing up.

As little as the yellow bikini had covered, it was still something else altogether to see her bondmate in the nude. Benezia casually dropped both pieces of the suit at the end of one towel, body angled in just the perfect way for her to see almost everything. She couldn’t get her own suit off fast enough, as unwieldy as it felt with the younger matriarch paying attention to her every move. In turn, she couldn’t look away as Benezia made to kneel, extending both arms in an idle stretch before laying stomach-first against the length of the towel.

“It’s going to be hard to sip your wine like that.” Aethyta teased.

Benezia put the small silver node of the visor just shy of where the sweep of the crest began before pressing the button on the bottom. A narrow black screen curved across both ice blue eyes, blocking out the worst of the sun’s rays. “I thought you might help with some sunscreen first. The wine should breathe a bit, don’t you think?”

“I’d hate not to give it the appreciation it deserves.”

Knowing where to start was the hardest part, really. Aethyta squeezed some of the sunscreen into her palm and moved to straddle Benezia’s thighs, her knees pressing against the warm sand. Once both hands had an even amount, she idled for a moment before deciding to spread the lotion across slate blue shoulders, beginning to rub it in just below the sensitive ridges of the younger matriarch’s nape. It took a hell of a lot of sun for an asari to end up burned, but even a few hours of exposure brought old markings to the surface or intensified of the color of those that were there.

The patterns dappled across Benezia’s skin were the same shade as the stripe bisecting her bondmate’s chin, but this sort of brightness would draw out midnight blue freckles too, just like it returned the pink stripes to her own body, faded for decades now. Jokes about recapturing youth aside, the effect was always temporary. Aethyta was inclined to indulge in it anyway, as much as she was indulging in the soft sounds and murmurs leaving Benezia’s lips. Her hands continued to move, fingers massaging taut muscles in between generous dabs of sunscreen.

“You are amazing, did you know that?” Benezia murmured.

Aethyta couldn’t help a grin as her hands slid to the small of her bondmate’s back. “You like to remind me once in a while. Want me to go lower?”

There was a soft moan as she gave Benezia’s ass a firm, affectionate squeeze. “It’s…only prudent.”

After getting a bit more sunscreen between her palms, Aethyta shifted her weight, one knee easing between both of her bondmate’s thighs to encourage them to part. When she had the space to kneel, her hands returned to the swell of Benezia’s ass, keeping to the slow pace she’d used on the rest of the younger matriarch’s body. It didn’t take long to hear the quiet huffs of frustration, especially when she traced a path down to Benezia’s tensed thighs without bothering to shift her attentions between them. By the time Aethyta had worked the lotion into both calves, her bondmate’s skin held the heat of the sun and somewhat more.

“Turn over.” She said, putting some effort into holding back a full, proud grin.

Benezia obeyed after a moment’s pause, and Aethyta’s breath caught as soon as their eyes met. Even behind the dark visor, she could see her bondmate’s bright blue gaze had been completely consumed by pitch black arousal. Nonetheless, she repositioned herself to straddle the younger matriarch’s hips; the tease was too good to give up so easily. Benezia looked breathless but didn’t protest as she carefully daubed sunscreen over a smooth brow and sculpted cheekbones, eventually drifting down the full line of her bondmate’s throat. The pulse there nearly jumped to meet her fingers, betraying the quickened pace of Benezia’s heart.

Aethyta’s patience started to fray as she rubbed lotion into the slender hollow of both collarbones and down the younger matriarch’s arms. Usually she didn’t have to resist the urge to touch Benezia’s tits - at least, when they were already naked - but it seemed like a shame to break the tension so quickly. It was rare for her to have the chance to bring her bondmate slowly to the heights of arousal, whether due to her own eagerness or a simple lack of time. She took a deep breath to fight the rising tide of lust, drawing her palms down Benezia’s sides instead of the obvious target.

“Aethyta-”

Cutting off the objection with a rough kiss, she let her teeth graze Benezia’s lower lip, refusing to pull away until a moan was torn from the younger matriarch’s mouth.

“We have six days here and you don’t want to wait two minutes.” Her tone took on a harsher edge, close to a growl. “You need me that badly?”

She’d expected her bondmate to squirm, offer up a token denial; it was a game they played all the time. Instead, a shiver made Benezia tremble from head to toe before a ragged gasp escaped, tied to the single syllable of _yes_.

Whatever resistance Aethyta had managed to shore up snapped at that sound and the unguarded need behind it. Her palms cupped Benezia’s breasts and gave them a possessive squeeze, swallowing down her bondmate’s sharp whimper with another kiss. The heat between their bodies was almost maddening as she arched, hips jerking forward out of reflex. Benezia’s arms rose to wrap around her shoulders as she rolled both nipples between thumb and forefinger, toying with the hardened peaks until the younger matriarch was struggling to do more than draw in short, shaking breaths.

“Remember to breathe, babe.”

Nails pricked just below her nape after the words, but Benezia seemed to find the gesture grounding, even with the dark flush of pleasure climbing up slate blue skin. Aethyta reveled in the kiss that followed, the insistent pull between lips and teeth; there wasn’t any artistry to it, only the hunger they’d inspired in each other for decades. When they broke apart, she felt the restless shift of hips beneath her own, the way Benezia’s heels were digging into the sand under the towel.

The catalyst for her bondmate’s desire was no surprise; Aethyta had figured out fairly early on that stealing a kiss and a quick grope somewhere that they might be seen gave Benezia one hell of a charge. While their privacy on the beach might have been paid for, she knew the younger matriarch would never be quite able to let go of the thought that someone would walk by and see them together when they tried things like this. Completely naked with their suits barely in reach and flushed with arousal, there wouldn’t be much way to hide it, and that was more than enough to get Benezia right on the edge of release.

She wasn’t quite done indulging herself yet, though. When Aethyta ducked her head down and moved her weight back, there was a whimper of loss, but one she had to ignore for the time being. It wasn’t until she’d settled between Benezia’s thighs that there was a sigh of anticipation, although Aethyta didn’t intend for her bondmate to get off that easily. As it were.

Her hands cradled the younger matriarch’s hips, the initial soft caress quickly evolving into a tighter hold. Aethyta knew by sight and scent that Benezia was dripping wet before the first stroke of her tongue against sensitive folds, but there wasn’t anything like experiencing it for herself. The desperate moan that left her bondmate’s throat in response was sweeter than music, a sound she wanted to hear over and over again.

Aethyta easily parted Benezia open with her mouth, letting the tip of her tongue circle the younger matriarch’s entrance before delving inside. It was a torment, avoiding where her bondmate surely ached the most, but each pass through that slick heat fueled the fire of her own lust. A casual glance upward revealed Benezia’s hands were clenched into fists, likely resisting the urge to press down against her nape and tell her to have at it. Aethyta let out a teasing hum, centering her attentions just below the base of her bondmate’s clit.

“Goddess-”

There was a telling quiver through Benezia’s thighs, a subtle jerk upwards against her mouth. When her tongue returned to the younger matriarch’s folds, lavishing them with broad, flat strokes, Aethyta heard a curse hissed through clenched teeth. Nothing outside Benezia’s usual vulgar wheelhouse, but it was another sign of her bondmate’s crumbling control, amplifying the need that flared in her nape and between her legs. She risked a brief caress, just a momentary flicker of her tongue, against the sensitive bud she’d been avoiding and the sound that escaped the younger matriarch’s lips was nothing short of a full-on plea.

Lucky for Benezia, she enjoyed offering mercy as much as holding it back. Aethyta drew her bondmate’s clit between her lips and sucked, tongue focused just beneath the tight hood. Her reward was the sudden, desperate grasp of one shoulder and a series of whimpers and moans that built in time with her rhythm. Each time Aethyta went a bit faster, gave more contact instead of teased, the younger matriarch got even louder. She maintained her tight grip on those full hips to keep them still, anticipating the shudder and instinctive struggle before Benezia came against her mouth.

With her eyes closed, nearly lost in the familiar taste and primal heat, Aethyta heard rather than saw her bondmate’s shout of release. Nails bit into her shoulder as she maintained the same deliberate pace, holding Benezia at that peak of pleasure as long as both of them could bear it. When the cries and jumbled syllables of her name faded to ragged gasps for breath, she finally relented, although it was harder than expected to keep from starting all over again. Aethyta could spend hours between Benezia’s thighs.

“Still need me to get your legs?” She asked, a slight rasp in the words.

Even with that dark gaze still obscured by the visor, the telltale knit in a noble brow was the only sign Aethyta needed to know Benezia was trying not to roll her eyes. “That wasn’t the first thing that came to mind.”

Aethyta shrugged, picking up the sunscreen bottle and moving over to her own towel. Some of the dark sand had ended up on the lower part of her legs, but it would wash off once they finally went in the water. As soon as she started applying the lotion to her arms, she could feel the weight of Benezia’s stare on her, and it was all she could do to keep from bursting out laughing.

“What are you doing?” The younger matriarch asked.

“Keeping you from turning the tables.” Aethyta mused, smoothing one hand down her nape to work the sunscreen in there. “Wouldn’t be the first time you hooked me in my own trap.”

“You cheat.” Benezia tried to sit up, the motion interrupted by an aftershock of pleasure. A faint flush colored her bondmate’s face before she managed to sit upright. “What ever shall I do with you?”

“You could relax and have some wine.” Aethyta said lightly.

It was a risky gambit; if Benezia was in a sharper mood, Aethyta knew the teasing could backfire and she’d be kept aching and on the edge until proving she was very, genuinely sorry. That had its own appeal, but so did a direct order and some vigorous payback. Years of intimacy together had taught her revenge could be just as sweet on both sides.

“I think I’m going to cool down in the water.” Benezia got to her knees, twisting in a slow stretch in both directions before looking Aethyta’s way. “Would you care to join me?”

The offer was clearly bait, but it was bait she couldn’t refuse. “Might want to lose the visor.”

Benezia laughed softly, pressing the button again to make it shut down and detach. “For some reason, I’d forgotten I was even wearing it.”

Aethyta stood up straight, offering the younger matriarch a hand. Her bondmate took it with grace, although there was no disguising the brief dip in Benezia’s knees before the weakness faded. Their fingers laced together with the ease of long practice, even that simple contact enough to send Aethyta’s heart racing. Pulling away from Benezia without her own needs met was agonizing, despite it always being worth it in the end.

Even with a handful of clouds hanging around the sky and the gentle breeze, the black sand held a good amount of heat, making it a relief to step into the water. Waves lazily lapped at their calves as Benezia gave her fingers a tender squeeze. The cliffs jutting out on either side of the beach cut off any view of the other tourists, the roar of the ocean muting all but a few sounds; it was easy to believe they really were alone, an entire island to themselves.

“Wait, wait.” Aethyta paused just long enough for the shadow of concern to cross Benezia’s face. “Did you rent the ocean too? Just making sure we’re allowed to be in here.”

There was a split second where she realized she might have gone too far, but it wasn’t enough time to dodge the younger matriarch’s reactive splash. Benezia had surprisingly quick reflexes and Aethyta found herself drenched from the crest down before she could so much as recoil. Dodging further into the waves didn’t help, as Benezia was intent on chasing her down, sending water flying with a skyball player’s accuracy.

By the time the ocean was halfway up her thighs, Aethyta came to a halt, sputtering and trying to get the taste of saltwater out of her mouth.

“Alright, I give.” Her laugh was followed by a cough, but she wasn’t the least bit surprised when Benezia’s body pressed flush against her back. “You win.”

“For you, I’d pay for every drop.” The younger matriarch’s cheek pressed between her shoulder blades, just below her nape. “You know that, don’t you?”

“I know.” Aethyta carefully turned around to face Benezia, mindful of the tug of the tide around their legs. “I just wish I could do the same.”

She was immediately pulled into a kiss, the force of which came as a shock. Benezia’s hands cupped her face, keeping them close with a soft touch of brows even as they broke apart to breathe. Aethyta was dazed for a moment, the lightning-quick surge of her libido not quite syncing with the rest of her feelings.

“You have no idea how much you do for me.” Benezia murmured, caressing the curve of her jaw and down to the line of her throat. “And I fear it is my fault for not reminding you often enough.”

Aethyta shivered. “It’s not your fault. I’m kind of thick-headed, if you haven’t noticed.”

“It’s one of the things I love most, for better or worse.” The light in the younger matriarch’s smile was like a salve, easing away the unsettling knot of anxiety that had leapt into her chest. “As much as your strength, your kindness, and the almost heretical things you do with that tongue.”

The sound of their laughter mixing together chased away the last fragments of Aethyta’s dismay, and the kiss that followed was much slower. She groaned as one of Benezia’s hands dropped to her breasts, encouraging her nipples to taut peaks with a touch that started out soft but became as demanding as her own. Nails trailed down her abdomen, the faint marks left behind soothed by the chill of the breeze a moment after. Everything was a shift of hot and cold, the sun and Benezia’s caress at odds with the wind, the constant crash and withdrawal of the tide.

“It almost feels like a dream or something sacred here in the water, doesn’t it?” Benezia whispered, sliding a hand between Aethyta’s thighs to tease against her folds.

Cogent thought, much less full sentences, slipped out of her mind at that first touch. The younger matriarch’s fingers were already wet, tracing a slow path from her entrance to her clit and back again. Aethyta let out a choked gasp, losing the battle to keep her hands still as she reached out to Benezia, fingers trailing up the underside of both tits. Her bondmate didn’t seem to mind, welcoming the touch with a low moan, but as soon as she tried to explore lower, she found the path blocked by Benezia’s free hand.

“It’s your turn, love.” Benezia purred. “You can be very distracting.”

“Me?” Aethyta asked breathlessly. “Never.”

Despite the casual rebuke, those slender fingers were quick to center on her clit, circling the aching bud. While the contact started out gentle, barely there, the pressure built with each pass until Aethyta’s hips jerked, trying to twist into the touch. She steadied herself with one hand on Benezia’s shoulder, the other occupied with cupping her bondmate’s breasts, taking solace in the familiar weight of them and pleasure in the younger matriarch’s quiet sighs.

The press of Benezia’s mind against hers was like a caress in and of itself, sparking a reaction from her biotics. Aethyta barely stifled a cry as the hand between her legs quickened, her mental barriers collapsing under the sharp spike of pleasure as soon as their eyes locked. Sensation doubled twice over, the remnant pulses of ecstasy from Benezia’s orgasm flowing seamlessly into her own need, making Aethyta desperate to have hands almost everywhere until the connection joining their minds evened out.

There was endless heat, manifesting in a dozen forms; the physical friction as their thighs brushed together, the rising flare of biotics, every point of contact where their hands met each other’s bodies, all melting together with the warmth of the sun. Love and lust alike held its own fire, the emotional rush just as intoxicating as Benezia’s fingers driving her closer to the edge. Aethyta heard the moan leaving her lips echoed, their heartbeats locking into sync as the meld went deeper, blurring the last of the boundaries between them.

Her orgasm ricocheted through two sets of nerves, connected in an endless loop; the more she felt, the more Benezia felt, until everything was a white haze of pleasure. They trembled between shared breaths, grasping at one another the best they could with such liquid boundaries between body and self. Recognition came back in pieces, their fused embrace becoming the tight hold of each other’s arms, the distant knowledge of sky and shore returning with the ocean’s next wave, the warmth across their shoulders.

Aethyta kissed her bondmate through the afterglow, enjoying as their thoughts and feelings tangled and sought out one another, affection chasing after memories in the same liminal moment the ties of love pulled them closer together. Past and present could be the same within the meld, redrawing the old lines of emotion and creating patterns anew. Benezia nuzzled her cheek as the connection finally severed, gentle as a thread unraveling. She wasn’t particularly keen on letting go quite yet, but even without being able to read her mind, the younger matriarch stayed content in her arms.

“How about some of that wine, huh?” Aethyta asked after a few moments of silence, pressing a kiss to Benezia’s brow.

“It would be a terrible waste otherwise.” Bright blue eyes glanced up at her. “I love you.”

They always said it a hundred times over in the meld, whether it was the simple feeling or forming the words themselves. Despite that, there was something special about saying it out loud for the galaxy to hear.

“I love you too, babe.”

A flash of her smile was the only warning before Aethyta reached down and scooped the younger matriarch into her arms. Benezia’s eyes widened in shock before both arms wrapped around her neck and there was something of an undignified yell. Someone listening might have called it a squeal, even, but only if they wanted to be on the business end of her bondmate’s warp. The sound became a full-throated laugh as Benezia nestled against her shoulder, resigned to being carried back towards the towels.

“I’m going to find some way to get you back for this.”

“Oh, are you?” Aethyta teased.

“I have a week to come up with _something_.” Benezia said. She could practically hear the gears in her bondmate’s head turning.

No matter what it happened to be, she’d bear it. The time they had here was precious, and Aethyta was determined to make enough memories until the stars aligned again. They didn’t get a vacation every day.


End file.
